Automatic safety shutoff for gas burners



Aug. l2, 1952 G. E. WILLIAMS 2,605,606

AUTOMATIC SAFET Y SHUTOFF FOR GAS BURNERS Filed Feb. 4, 1948 I N VEN TOR.

Guy WLL/AMS Patented Aug. 12, 1952 OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY SHUTOFF FOR. GAS

. r BURNERS Gu E, Williams, Wichita, Kans.

Application February 4, 1948, Serial No. 6,121

This invention relates to an automatic safety shut-off for gas burners. I

In the event the gas pressure should be reduced or completely out off, due to damage to the supplylines, or the flame should go outdue to a strong gust of wind, or a draft, the invention is designed to automatically stop the flow of gas,

to the burner.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a safety means for gas burners that, cutting off the supply of gas, will prevent people from being overcome by the gas, should the flame be inadvertently extinguished without the knowl edge of the consumer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, that is controlled either by a thermostatic control, or an air shut-off control.

The, device is easily installed, compact and durable, and efficient in operation, and can be inexpensively manufactured for the purpose designed.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of an embodiment of the device with the cut-off in open position;

Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 with the cut-off in closed position;

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, there is shown a thermostatic control for the invention.

. The assembly embodying the invention is generally designated by the reference numeral I6, and will be seen to consist of a cylindrical housing or shell II, having the supply conduit I2 formed at the rear thereof and communicating therewith. At its free end, the conduit I2 has a gas burner I3 connected thereto, and the invention comprises means for shutting off the flow of gas from the housing II to the burner I3.

Positioned within the housing I I, are the front and rear circular plates I4 and 15 respectively, which support the automatic shut-off control .which is to be later described. An internally threaded ring I6, threadably mounted on the front end of the housing I I, by means of the external threads thereon, retains the assembly in position in the housing II.

2 Claims. (Cl. 158-140) Mounted at one end, in the plate I4, and at the other end in the plate I5, adjacent the bottom of the housing II, is the slightly curved air passage I! which forms a communication between the outside atmosphere and the housing II, rearwardly of the plate I4.

Secured to the plates I4 and I5, at its opposed ends and to the housing II at its opposed sides, is the partition I8. This partition is positioned directly above the passage I! and conforms some what to the contour of the passage I1. The partition provides a dust-proof chamber I9, in which the operating parts of the assembly are positioned.

These parts comprise a box-like valve housing 20, which, at one end, is fixed to the plate I5, and on its bottom surface, is fixed to the partition I8. At its forward end, communication is provided with the gas valve 2 I, by means of the conduit 22 which, passing through the plate I5 and the end of the housing 20, is fixed thereto, and in this manner, gas is fed to the housing 20. The rear end of the housing 20 supports one end of the gas conduit 23, while the other end is fixed to and supported by the plate I4. Thus gas entering the housing 20 is fed to the burner I3 through the supply conduit I2.

The end of the housing 26, at its point of communication with the conduit 23, carries a tapered valve seat 24 which conforms to the similarly contoured face 25 of the check valve 26.

The valve 26 is pivoted at its upper edge by the pin 2! which is journalled transversely of the housing 20, so that the valve, in vertical position, will close the seat 24. In its swinging move ment, the valve 26 just escapes contact with the curved baffle 26 which is fixed to the housing just outwardly of the arc travelled by the bottom edge of the valve 26 in its swinging movement. The baffle 28, at its upper end, is provided with a port 29, whereby gas entering the housing II from the conduit 22 passes through to exit from the housing 20 through the seat 24.

The check valve 26 is a pivoted valve which is counter-weighted by an arcuate control arm'30 fixed at one end to the center of the face 25. The valve 26 is pivoted to open position by the arm 30 in the gas conduit 22, 23 and thereafter gas flow consummates its closure.

From the face 25, the arm 30 passes through the seat 24, and the opening 3| in the conduit 23. A stop 32 on the arm 30 engaging the outersurface of the conduit 23 limits the movement of the valve 26, and closes the opening 3I through which the arm extends when the valve is in open position. The arm 30 is slightly heavier than the valve 26, and with the point of balance centered about the pin 27, the valve will be open at all times when there is not any pressure in the housing 23. Thus the valve will be open under normal conditions.

To close the valve 28 in the event the flame of the burner 13 is extinguished, a bellows type thermostatic control 33 is positioned for operational engagement with the burner IS, the expansion tube or control 34 entering the burner at one end and being pivoted at 35 at its opposite end to the link 36. The link 36 passes through the housing I l, and the plate It, and at the point of passage through this part, sealing mediums or bushings 31 and 38 respectively, are sleeved on the link 36, and fixed in therespective parts H and I4.

At its opposite end, the link 35 is pivoted at '39 to the angled lever 40 which, at its angle, is

pivoted at H to the upright 42 fixed at its lower end to the gas conduit 23 which is connected to the housing 29. ,At its opposite end, the lever is connected at 433 to the arm 44, which, at its free end, engages the hookeduflexible end #5 of the arm 30. The control :33 is mounted in its positionas desired by a bracket 45' fixed to the conduit l2, and the stop and waste valve 2| is ;pro vided with the waste pipe =46 which, entering the passage H, aids in keeping this passage clean and provides means for eliminating 'the waste from the valve g2l,

Undernormal conditions, the assembly would be in the position shown in Figure 1. The valve 28, due to the counterbalancing effect of the arm 30, would be open, the arm is in engagement with the hooked end 45 of the arm 39, gas

7 is passing through the housing to the burner,

and the flame of the burner is maintaining the control 33 in non-operativeposition.

Should the flame be extinguished for some unknown reason, the control 3 3.will operate the link 36, and IGVCIFHjylJO cause the arm d/(i to give the arm 30 an upward push, throwing the valve 26 off balance. strikes the valve, it forces ;it closed or into the position shown in Figure Z, and the gas is out off from the burner. Sincegas cannot leavethrough the housing'ZO and the conduit 22 is fixed tothe housing 2! the gas'cannot escape andas long as the gas pressure is maintained, the .valve 26 will remain closed- When the pressure is relieved in the housing 28 by :closing the-valve 2!, the valve 26 will be overbalanced by the arm -39, and the valve willebe opened so that the gas burner can again be used. As the flame affects the control '33, the arm 44 will lower to engage the hooked end 4-5 of the arm 33, .whenthe assembly is again in position to operate as previously described.

The flexibility of the hooked end '45 of the arm 38 permits the arm 44 to pass the hooked end and then reengage the hooked end as shown in Fig. 1. Since the valve is not inengagement with the housing 25 when impetus is given the As soon as the gas pressure valve 26 by the arm 44 the flexibility of the hooked end 45 will not overly flex under the impetus of the arm 44 to prevent the operation as described.

There has thus been provided a shut-01f assembly which is automatically operated by a thermostat means to shut off the supply of gas in the event the flame of the burner should be extinguished inadvertently.

It is believed that from the foregoing description, the operation and structure of the forms of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic shut-off assembly for gas burners comprising a housing, a conduit connected with said housing, a burner on said .conduit, air supply and gas supply conduits in said housing, a valve seat at the forward end of said gas supply conduit, a pivoted valve in said housing normally positioned adjacent said gas supply conduit out of the path of the flow of gas into said conduit, said valve being adapted when closed to .engage said valve seat, an arnrextending through said valve seat and carried by said valve, said arm serving as a counter weight for said valve to hold said valve in its open position, pivoted means carried by .said :gas supply conduit adapted to engage said arm and thermally responsive means coacting with said burner and connected to said pivoted meansv for retaining the valve in open position when .ilame is present at said burner and for providing the initial impetus to the valve for closing movement thereof when the flame ceases so that the valve is acted on by the flow of gas to said gassupply conduit to further move the valve to engage the valve seat and close said gas supply conduit.

2. An automatic shut-off assembly as in claim 1 wherein a dust proof chamber and a valve housing is mounted in said chamber on the ends of and communicating with the gas supply inlet and outlet.

- GUY E. WILLIAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

